Rodeo entertains, benefits others Published Oct. 13, 2010 By Laurie Arellano Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The annual Y's Men's Rodeo is not only a circuit finals rodeo, bringing the best of the best to Minot for competition and prize money, the event also raises money for the YMCA's Triangle Y youth camp located near Burlington, N.D. And it offers Air Force Global Strike Command airmen opportunity for entertainment and giving back to the local community. This year's 56th annual event raised money for improvements and scholarships while entertaining crowds with what's been dubbed America's original sport. The event also raises money for breast cancer research through the Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign's sale of pink t-shirts. "Rodeo was born in the ranching industry," said Ruth Nicolaus, Y's Men's Rodeo spokesperson. "It gets in your blood." Ms. Nicolaus said the great thing about the Y's Men's Rodeo is it's entertaining and for a good cause. "This rodeo is a two-fold event," she said. "It gives back to the community, and its true sport and great entertainment." The annual rodeo, sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, draws top rate competitors in seven standard events taking place over the course of four days. "It's affordable family fun," said Ms. Nicolaus. "It's two and a half hours of comedy and competition." Throughout the evening, events such as saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling and bull riding lend themselves to the fast-paced entertainment rodeo-goers enjoy. "It's a lot of horsepower," said Ms. Nicolaus. Jason Behm, the 2010 Y's Men's Rodeo chairman said the thing he most enjoys about the rodeo is that 100 percent of the proceeds to go the Triangle Y camp. "It's a great rodeo, and it's nice to donate the money to the kids," said Mr. Behm. Mr. Behm said the fact that it's a circuit finals rodeo draws the best contestants competing for prize money and the right to go to the finals, as well as volunteers who come together to put on "one heck of a show." "It's very exciting," he said. Dan Clegg, also known as Bullseye Bob, is one of those volunteers. Now a professional clown, he is a 2001 retiree from the 5th Medical Group. He has been supporting the Y's Men's Rodeo as a way to give back to the community. "It gets in your blood," said Mr. Clegg. "I enjoy working with kids." Mr. Clegg supports the Wild West Rodeo, an event held for special needs children on opening night of the rodeo. "They deserve to have fun," he said. Pat Travnicek, chief of arms control at Minot AFB and the rodeo committee's base liaison, ensures base members know they are invited to attend the rodeo and publicizes military appreciation day, which provides discount admission for military members, retirees and their families. "The committee is a great group of people working for a worthy cause," said Mr. Travnicek. Mr. Travnicek, in his second season with the committee, said he became interested in working with the committee because it benefits kids in the area. At the end of the rodeo weekend, the region's acclaimed best departed Minot guaranteed a spot in the National Finals Rodeo in March held at Oklahoma City. And after four days of thrills and spills, the Y's Men's Rodeo raised more than $600,000 for improvements and scholarships for the Triangle Y Camp. "It's all for the kids," Mr. Travnicek said.